


A New Beginning

by Paige242



Category: The Bureau of Magical Things
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-29
Updated: 2020-12-29
Packaged: 2021-03-10 16:41:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,214
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28400310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Paige242/pseuds/Paige242
Summary: The DMI has crumbled and war rages between elves, fairies, and humans.In the midst of it all, Kyra and Darra seek out their estranged friend and hope for a new start.
Relationships: Darra Blackwell/Kyra Glen
Comments: 1
Kudos: 16





	A New Beginning

They had all been such fools.

Kyra knew realized it now.

In hindsight.

But that did nothing to change the present situation.

Although seven years seemed like a lifetime ago she could still remember the hope and optimism that had followed Orla’s defeat. They had all been lulled into a false sense of security back then. The renegade elf had been stripped on her orb magic and taken into DMI custody. Order had been restored. Kyra and her friends had celebrated their victory and refocused on their mission to protect the world from magical threats, this time with Peter in tow. 

They had trusted the authorities.

Trusted that the worst was all behind them.

But they had been naïve.

Things had started slowly at first. A few rumours here and there about unrest within the magical community. There were some elves—supporters of Orla’s short-lived rebellion—who were unhappy with their former leader’s trial and conviction. She had been charged with high treason, a sentence which came with a long prison term and the stripping of her powers. Personally, Kyra had felt that the punishment fit the crime and she had not given much thought to those who believed otherwise. It had all seemed quite straightforward at the time.

Whispers, however, can be dangerous things.

An underground movement of those who supported Orla’s failed cause began to build momentum. They wanted an end to the secrecy of the magical world and believed in elven supremacy. Few had taken the zealots seriously at first, but this apathy turned out to be a fatal mistake. 

The night that Sean Reagan had been found dead in his study would forever mark a new dark chapter in the history of the magical world. She had been there when Lily found out and Kyra did not think that she would ever forget the sound of her friend’s anguished cries. Sean had been a kind man, a loving father, and a fair leader. The last thing he had deserved was a grisly death, his throat slit from behind by a silent evil that lurked in the shadows.

His murder had sent shockwaves through their world and the accusations of guilt had been thrown around hastily in those early days. That was when the true darkness that had been bubbling below the surface had first come to light. Sean’s death had been plotted by Orla’s followers—vengeance, they claimed, again the fairy who had locked away their visionary leader. They had wanted to stoke the tensions between the two largest groups in the magical world and, unfortunately, people on both sides were all too eager to give into the hysteria.

As a newcomer, Kyra had vastly underestimated the historical tensions between elves and fairies. She had the powers of a tri-ling and had been lucky enough to stumble across a school that peacefully incorporated both magical peoples. She had foolishly thought that everyone was happy to live in harmony, just as her small group of friends seemed to be.

But Sean’s death had revealed the worst of both sides.

Anger and bitterness quickly rose to the surface and, before she knew it, the DMI had fallen into infighting and chaos. Each camp set up their own systems of governance and neither was willing to negotiate.

Even then, she had not expected true violence to erupt. But, in less than a year, it had. Orla was freed from her cell, her militant supporters began a guerrilla campaign, and extremists on both sides forged zealously into battle. Many others tried to keep the peace and there were still those who believed in unity—but even they had been drawn into the conflict. 

There had been casualties on all sides.

Mothers, fathers, siblings, friends.

It was all so nonsensical and yet, once it began, it seemed impossible to stop.

Orla had been killed in a particularly bloody confrontation in the early days. But that had done nothing to stop the cause. New leaders rose quickly to fill the void.

Without the DMI in operation there was another unforeseen consequence as well. One that had changed the direction of Kyra’s life even more than the war.

After centuries of carefully guarded secrecy, magic had been exposed to the human world and magical people had become the target of hatred and fear. The humans had not yet resorted to wide-spread violence against them but “non-human registration” acts had been passed around the globe in an effort to contain and control the “freaks.” After some experimentation, they had even managed to develop weapons designed to expose and incapacitate magical peoples. Kyra did not understand the science behind it but she had seen such things in operation. If a magical being was struck by a dose of toxin from one of their darts, they were immediately debilitated and forced to return to their true form.

The paralysis was temporary, thankfully—but it seemed that the forced exposure was not. Fairies who were hit could no longer mask their wings, and elves were no longer able to magically conceal their ears. It seemed that part of the poison never wore off.

The human authorities wanted the lines between humans and other beings to be clear and they had found a way to make that happen.

Darra had been struck. While on an undercover mission for the unity fighters.

Thankfully, Kyra had been with him and was unaffected by the dart which had struck her own arm. She’d managed to jump them both out of harm’s way, but she hated to think what may have happened if he had been alone.

The thought still haunted her some nights as she held him close.

He was no longer able to take on a human appearance or make himself invisible, no matter how many times he tried. But he was otherwise okay. She was grateful for that.

Darra had been one of the few silver linings during this terrible time and she could no longer imagine her life without him. She was glad that she had finally embraced her feelings for him several years ago—on a moonlight night before this mess had all begun.

He had been with her through everything now. The losses and triumphs.

He’d even stood against his family for her, refusing to join them as leaders of the new elven government. As one of the most wealthy and influential families in the magical world, the Blackwell’s had been the logical choice for their side’s new administration. They did not support the elven extremists, but they had their fair share of prejudice and superiority. Jarred Blackwell had been happy to lead a government cut off from the fairies and, much to everyone’s surprise, Imogen had agreed to take up a post on her father’s cabinet. She claimed to be open to the idea of reunification but they knew that her words were hollow. Her elven pride had never been in question, even before all of this. 

In the wake of her father’s death, Lily had joined the official government of the other side. She did not adhere to the most extreme views either but seemed to feel that helping set up a strong fairy community was part of Sean’s legacy.

Ruksy, thankfully, had bought into none of it and had joined Kyra, Darra and Peter as a member of the unity-seeing resistance. Their numbers had always been small, but they had managed to sabotage several destructive missions from both sides over the years. They could not stop the war but, at the very least, they had managed to slow it down.

For the past several months, however, it had become increasingly clear that theirs was a lost cause.

At least for now.

It was hard to accept after all the blood, sweat and tears. But their numbers were dangerously low and most had fallen victim to the human authorities at one point or another. It was hard for them to carry out missions now and Kyra was one of the only people left who could evade human detection.

Although she probably could have started a new life somewhere else in the mortal world that was impossible for Darra now that his ears were permanently on display. Keeping his ears covered and being in constant fear of exposure was no way to live. He would always be an elf, and always be a target. That was certainly not the life she wanted for their future family.

The timing was terrible but finding out she was pregnant with their first child had been the final push they needed.

It was a shock and a surprise, to say the least.

And it was why they had finally made a drastic decision.

After seven years of fear and fighting, they were tired. Exhausted. Kyra knew that she would never stop hoping for peace or believing in their cause—but she could not imagine continuing her life this way. She wanted more.

Her child deserved more.

So they had concocted a plan. The regular world wasn’t safe but there were still places that were concealed to hostile magical and mortal people alike. There were other planes—and they had stumbled on to a particularly beautiful one many years ago.

She could still remember Darra’s playful smirk back then.

_“Even if we don’t get back, we’ll have a million-dollar beachfront view.”_

They had fallen though the architect’s portal once and fell across the beautiful beach Edward Boynton had created. Sure, the DMI had closed the portal later—but, with Professor Maxwell’s help, they had managed to reopen it a few short weeks ago. Since then, their days had been focused on transferring all their belongings and gathering a small close-knit group of unity fighters who were ready to start anew.

They were creating their own oasis. Free from those who wished to cause harm.

Walking away was bittersweet, and she hated to think of this as giving up. But it felt like it was time to try something different. They needed a place where fairies, elves and humans could all live together without fear.

The professor was coming. And so were Peter and Ruksy. Her stepfather had quickly agreed to make the dramatic move too. She had told him her secret several years ago and he had been very supportive throughout it all. He’d done his best to keep up his normal life and job, but that had been increasingly hard when the police had become part of the magic-hunting crusade. 

In total, they had about twenty-five people embarking on their new frontier. A healthy mix of all species and ages.

But there was one last person who they had not been able to get off their minds.

One last person they wished would join.

Yes, Lily was technically part of the fairies’ new regime—but neither Kyra nor Darra was convinced that she was happy with her place in all of this. As Sean’s daughter, she had felt an obligation to help in the wake of his death and had been held up as a reminder of what her community had lost.

It had been difficult to stay in touch with her for the last couple of years but every time Kyra had managed to see her, she had felt the same warmth that she always had. And there was always sadness in her eyes as she spoke of the divide.

So they had agreed that they had to try.

It was a risk, telling her about their plans. There was the possibility that she would betray them to the fairy authorities. But Kyra and Darra both thought that she could still be trusted.

Plus, she was an old friend.

Friends were worth the risk.

That was why they had come here. To a grungy pub near the harbour that was known for the seedier sort of clientele. As much as Kyra hated the place, it had been a useful meeting spot over the years—the human owner was willing to turn a blind eye to any goings on for a small price, and it was a good spot to meet openly without fear of attack or exposure. Most humans would call the authorities if they caught a whiff of magical dealings. 

Darra was tapping his fingers nervously on the table as he glanced at the clock above the bar. Lily had said that she would come, but she was five minutes late and she shared his fear that she may have changed her mind.

Or worse.

But, thankfully, they were able to let out a collective breath of relief as they saw a thin blonde figure finally make its way through the pub door.

She looked around nervously before spotting the couple and swiftly making her way across the dimly lit room to their booth.

Thankfully, the pub was not busy—there were only three other patrons sitting near the bar— which was about the only positive thing that could be said about the establishment.

The stench of stale beer was not sitting well with Kyra (who had been experiencing significant morning sickness as of late) but the sight of her old friend did bring a small smile to her face.

“Lily, it’s great to see you.” She said as the fairy took a seat across the table and offered them a nervous smile.

“Sorry,” the other young woman replied, her voice low. “I got stuck in a council meeting and couldn’t get away. I didn’t want to rush out and arouse suspicion.”

Kyra nodded, understanding. It was a relief to hear that Lily was still being conscientious about secrecy. Perhaps today’s conversation would end as she hoped after all.

“It’s great to see you again, Kyra.” She continued, brushing her long hair away from her eyes. “Darra…it’s been a long time.”

She seemed far more nervous as she addressed the elf, and Kyra wondered how long it had been since Lily had sat down with someone from ‘the other side.’ Many of her colleagues would undoubtedly be furious if she was caught in his presence. He may have been a unity fighter, but he was still an elf—and a Blackwell, at that.

A big part of Lily’s job involved discussing ways to politically thwart the rest of the Blackwell family and it was possible that she didn’t fully trust him. After seven years of this nonsense, even the best people could develop irrational fears.

“I’ve missed you, Lil.” Darra replied warmly, his wide smile easing a bit of the tension that seemed to hang in the air. Perhaps Lily could sense his sincerity. Her shoulders seemed to relax a little bit. “I’m glad you’re doing okay.”

The fairy nodded, leaning back against her bench. “I’m okay,” she confirmed, “but I wish things were as simple as they had been the last time, I saw you.” The girl paused for a moment, thinking. “That was probably about five years ago, wasn’t it? The day we all met up for coffee downtown. Things like that have been so much harder since the humans found out. We can’t just go out in public anymore.”

From the corner of her eye, Kyra could see the frown on her boyfriend’s face. That was sore subject for him, especially since he had been attacked.

“No kidding,” Darra sighed as he made a subtle gesture towards the grey hat he was currently wearing to conceal his ears. He had always resented the fact that he had to hide himself in the human world and now, since the incident, it had only become worse. 

Lily drew a sharp breath. “No,” she whispered, her eyes growing wide. “The humans didn’t get you, did they Darra?”

He glanced down towards the table as Kyra nodded somberly.

Lily looked suitably mortified.

“Shit,” she swore uncharacteristically, “Darra I’m—”

“It’s okay,” he cut in, waving his hand. He hated being pitied and definitely didn’t like discussing the events that had forced him into permanent exposure. “And it’s going to be very okay soon, actually,” he added as he shot Kyra a meaningful look.

As much as it would have been nice to catch up, time was of the essence and they had to get right to it. There was still a lot to prepare before they made their final trip through the portal tomorrow and every moment spent sitting around in the human world was risky. Even in a place like this.

“That’s why we wanted to meet up, Lily,” Kyra continued, looking towards her friend. “With everything that has gone on since this whole mess started, and everything we have lost, we’ve decided that enough is enough.”

The fairy across from them looked silently perplexed and the young woman began to elaborate.

“The war between the magical factions has reached a stalemate, and humans are hunting magical people more aggressively by the day. We’ve been living in hiding but that is only a half-life. We don’t want to be in a place where even going outside is a bit of a risk.” She paused, reaching out for Darra’s hand under the table. He gave her a light squeeze. “And, well, that’s not the sort of life I feel comfortable bringing a child into.”

It took a few moments for her last sentence to register but she could see the shift in Lily’s expression the second she caught-on. The shock was apparent.

“You…you’re…”

Kyra nodded as she placed a hand on her still-flat stomach. She was only two months along now and had not yet begun to show. But it was only a matter of time.

“Oh my goodness!” Lily whispered in disbelief. Clearly, she had not been expecting this sort of news and she seemed excited by the revelation. “Congratulations, guys.”

They both thanked her with a smile before returning to the main topic of conversation.

“When we found out, we knew we needed to make a change.” Darra continued this time. “I can’t stand the thought of our child growing up in fear. Professor Maxwell thinks that, with Kyra’s unique tri-ling blend, and with me being…me, he or she will probably be pretty elven.” Kyra could tell that he was trying to keep his voice steady, but she knew how worried this simple fact made him.

They couldn’t be certain but, according to the professor’s research, the baby wouldn’t be a regular human looking halfling. Testing showed that Kyra’s magic had changed her deeply, at the most fundamental levels, and that extra dose of magic would probably be enough to create a very magical child. And one that probably looked magical too.

Between her and Darra, the baby would be more than half-elf. Personally, she loved the thought of a tiny being with her boyfriend’s adorably pointed ears. But she also realized that was not the ideal circumstance in times like these. Darra knew it too, of course, and he already blamed himself for depriving their child of a chance at a “normal” life in the human world. 

On more than one occasion he had darkly joked that she would have been better off with a human.

It was absurd. They were a perfect match and she could never love anyone like she loved him. But that didn’t stop him from thinking terrible thoughts sometimes.

“So we’re not going to stay here,” Kyra cut in, trying to move things forward. “We’re not going to stay on this plane. We’re starting fresh. Setting up a whole new community. And we want you to come too.”

A long silence hung in the air as Lily looked at them both. It was hard to read her expression but Kyra knew she was already taking in a lot of new information. They were throwing a lot at her in a very short timespan.

“Going where?” She finally asked, her brow furrowed.

It was impossible to tell yet if Lily would even consider such a thing. But, so far, she had been warm and friendly, at least.

“The beach.” Darra answered. “The one Kyra and I stumbled into all of those years ago. It is beautiful and, most importantly, safe.”

“We want you to come Lily,” Kyra reiterated. “We can all escape this terrible situation. Together. Ruksy is going. And Peter. Maxwell too. We have about twenty-five in all. Elves, fairies and humans. Living together harmoniously, just like we used to.”

She was certain that she could detect a slight smile on Lily’s face at the thought but, before her own hopes could soar, the other girl crossed her arms and looked towards them with a fresh wave of seriousness.

“And Imogen?” She asked, her voice much cooler than it had been before. “Did you invite her along as well? So that it would really be like the old days?”

Lily shifted her gaze towards Darra and some of the tension that had been apparent during her arrival seemed to re-emerge.

She could feel Darra tense at her side. His sister was another sore subject, and one that they tried to avoid. It had hurt him deeply when Imogen had left to join their parent’s crusade.

“No, we’re not telling Imogen.” He said firmly, meeting his old friend’s stare. “It sucks, but I’m a realist, Lily. I know she’s too far gone. Mum and dad have brainwashed her. She’ll never leave the elven council.”

Lily pressed her lips into a thin line.

“And what makes you so different, Darra?” She asked, suddenly much terser than she had been before. “I know you were never as career focused as your sister, but you were raised in the same house. By the same people. Even before all of this the Blackwell’s were known for their elven pride.”

She felt Darra flinch at the remark. Kyra was taken aback by the sudden shift she saw in her friend and her heart began to beat faster in her chest. Maybe this had been a huge mistake after all.

Maybe they had just sabotaged their own chance at happiness.

If Lily betrayed them and sent the fairy council after them, it was game over.

“People say that you’re only helping the unity fighters because you’re in love with Kyra. And that as soon as you figure out a way to get rid of her fairy powers, you’ll be able to rejoin your family and take her with you. How do I know this plan is real? What if you do find a way to change Kyra and abandon the whole thing?”

This had not been what Kyra was expecting. Not by a long shot. She had never heard any of these rumours before and she could not stop her mouth from falling open in shock.

The other girl couldn’t possibly believe all of that, could she?

“Lily, that’s ridiculous!” Darra shot back, barely managing to keep his voice down. He was clearly upset and she could not blame him for it. Not only did his former friend doubt him but, apparently, much of the magical community doubted him too. All because of where he had come from. “I was never like them, Lily, and you know it.” He continued, narrowing his gaze. “And there is no way in hell I would ever try to change Kyra! That’s absurd! I am so damn sick of all this nonsense. I’m an elf, fine, I can’t help that. And I can’t help the family I was born into either. But none of the choices I have made since this all began should cast any doubt on what I believe in. I do control my own actions, and I have fought tirelessly to reunify this world. So don’t you dare sit there and tell me that I’m cooking up some secret plot to betray you all. Don’t you dare, Lily.”

Kyra had rarely seen her laid-back boyfriend quite so angry and she gently placed a supportive hand on his shoulder. He was breathing heavily, clearly trying not to let the unfavourable remarks get the better of him.

She too felt stung by Lily’s words. It was crazy to imagine anyone seeing Darra as a scheming traitor. She knew him better than she knew anyone, and she knew how devoted he was to reunification. He was a good person. Kind and brave.

He did not deserve such assaults on his character. Especially from someone who had once been a dear friend. 

“Maybe we should go.” Kyra said, her heart sinking at the direction their meeting had taken.

Apparently, they had been wrong to hope.

And she had to pray that their oasis would still be safe.

She began to slide down the bench but, to her surprise, Lily quickly spoke up.

“Wait! No.” The fairy proclaimed, eyes widening. “I…just wait.”

Kyra froze in place and it seemed that Darra was willing to hear her out too, despite what she had just said.

“I’m sorry. It’s just hard to know anything anymore. The people I spend my days with…well, that’s the sort of thing they believe. And I do know you guys. I know you Darra. But I also know that things can change over time.” She drew in a shaky breath. “So much has changed since it all began. Since dad…”

The fairy shook her head, clearly unable to say it, even after all these years.

The pain was still as fresh as it had ever been and Kyra understood all too well. The loss of a parent was a truly terrible thing.

“I believe you.” The young woman continued before looking down at the filthy barroom floor. “But I also can’t. I can’t come with you. I suppose part of me wants to, but I can’t leave everything behind. My mum. And the work I am doing to honour dad’s legacy. I know it’s far from perfect, and I wish things were different—but I want to protect my people.”

“We are your people, Lily.” Kyra pressed, a pit growing in her stomach. If they couldn’t convince her, this might be the last time they spoke, she realized. That was such a horrible thought.

Sure, they had grown apart, but she would never forget the kind fairy who had first welcomed her into the magical world. Lily had been her biggest supporter once. That had to mean something.

“You were,” Lily whispered, still looking down. “But things change, Kyra. I wish you guys all the best—and I’ll keep your secret, I promise you that. But I can’t be there. My place is here now.”

Kyra could feel the familiar sensation of tears prickling around her eyes but she did her best to fight them back. This had not been how she had hoped their meeting would end but she refused to let herself regret trying. All they could do was offer Lily a way out. A better way. They had done all they could. 

The rest, unfortunately, was up to her. 

“I guess this is goodbye, then.” Kyra finally replied, a painful lump in her throat. She felt Darra give her back a reassuring squeeze and she briefly looked over to see a similar look of disappointment in his eyes.

“It is.” Lily nodded back, before slowly rising from her seat. To any onlooker, the girl would have looked well composed but Kyra still knew her well enough to see that she was struggling to keep her resolve firm.

The stubborn side of Kyra’s personality wanted to keep pushing her old friend further but, deep down, she knew that Lily had to follow what felt right to her. Her father’s legacy, and what remained of her family, was not something she could easily turn her back on. Kyra could respect that, as much as she disagreed with her political alliances.

Kyra slid out of the booth and took a step back, allowing Darra to follow. If their meeting was over, they had no desire to linger in the human world any longer than they had to. Every moment was a risk. 

The three stood silently facing each other, an awkward tension in the air as they all struggled to muster up a last goodbye.

Kyra, as always, was the first to break.

With a brusque and sudden step forward, she pulled Lily into a brief hug. The fairy froze for a moment, clearly caught off guard, but a sad smile crossed her face as Kyra drew back.

“No matter what, Lily, I’ll always be grateful to you,” the young woman began, doing her best to keep her voice steady. “You were the first to welcome me into the magical world and your friendship will always have a special place in my heart. Even after all of this. I’ll miss you.”

She could see the tears shining in her old friend’s eyes and Lily opened her mouth for a moment, as if to reply. But, after closing it again and taking a long deep breath, all Kyra received was a curt reply.

“I need to go.” 

With that, the fairy turned and walked quickly out of the pub, earning the suspicious eye of one of the seedy looking human customers as she went.

Kyra felt numbed by the abruptness of it all, but she knew that this was not the time to linger in surprise.

“We should leave,” she whispered towards Darra as one of the humans rose from his seat and seemed to stumble in their direction. The man may have had no interest in them, but she was not willing to risk finding out.

Their enemies were everywhere. 

She took Darra’s hand firmly in her own and they walked towards the back exit, finally ready to jump. 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

“What’s this?” Darra asked, holding up a perfectly wrapped golden package.

After and eventful twenty-four hours they had finally settled into their new cottage on the beach. It had been a stressful move, but it seemed to go off without a hitch and they had spent the evening celebrating this new start with their companions. It was a small but tight-knit band and, for the first time in a long while, Kyra had been filled with hope.

She was exhausted now, though, and happy to finally have some privacy and a chance to unpack.

“I’m not sure,” she replied, reaching out for it so that she could examine the package further. She surely would have remembered putting something like this in their travelling chest.

After exchanging a perplexed look with Darra she shrugged and carefully began to peel back the tape that kept the parcel shut. She pulled the paper away to reveal a beautifully knit baby blanket, interwoven with threads of green and gold.

It was gorgeously made and she recognized the intricate details as trademarks of traditional fairy craftsmanship.

Clearly, Darra did too and he looked down at the item with a bit of apprehension. 

“A gift from a fairy?” He asked, his eyebrow raised.

As Kyra held the fabric she felt the crinkle of paper wrapped within and she unfolded the item to reveal a small note written in a distinct curly script.

She instantly recognized that as well. Her heart swelled with both affection and regret.

_Good luck, my dearest friends._

_With all my love,_

_Lily_


End file.
